Sunday, November 11, 2012

NADRA has started issuing Smart National Identity Cards with 36 security features to curb forgery. NADRA claims that the card is the most smartest in the world and can be used for financial transactions, government pension disbursement, as secondary document to passport and other identification purposes. The card can also be served as Driving License and is available for PKR 1500.

Requests has been made to NADRA to integrate information such as education/work experience, current status, family status, criminal record and traffic tickets into the chip for increased protection. The card also comes with Accidental death insurance of PKR 100k from Government of Pakistan.

“The introduction of smart card technology is aimed at improving security by making forgery more difficult. Now, a forger must not only modify the data printed on the face and back of ID card but also that contained in the chip to ensure that the two sets of information match. It should now restore the confidence of world on Pakistani ID cards,” said Tariq Malik.

Malik spoke on the applications of smart identity cards in relief operations, international development and humanitarian assistance.

“Citizens depend on Government for services and protection from risk. Safeguarding citizens from risk and providing critical services transparently is top priority of Government of Pakistan. In the last four years, government has dispersed approximately 200 billion rupees in monetary benefits for transparently in humanitarian assistance and financial inclusion programs using smart IDs and biometric verification,” he said.

The chip set contains an arsenal of technical measures making modification not only extremely difficult but also easily detectable. Moreover, it is an instrument to be used by the Government of Pakistan to roll out e-Govt services powered by NADRA’s National Identity System (NIS). Malik hoped that the new, revolutionary smart ID card would provide a platform to the government to move towards welfare state by providing accidental life insurance, health insurance, emergency relief, home remittance, pension disbursement and e-voting in future. The Participants from various countries appreciated the design of smart card and received popularity in the symposium.

The first Smart Card has been issued on the name of Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, the sources said adding that Director General (DG), NADRA, presented the first card to President Asif Ali Zardari in President House on Monday night. The Smart Card is a 3rd Generation Chip-based identity document.